Paul Kligman
Birthday: Born in 1923-01-21 in
Deathday: 1985-08-29
Paul Kligman, a Winnipeg-born actor, displayed remarkable versatility in Canadian entertainment. His career spanned various CBC radio and TV productions, encompassing both comedic and serious roles across stages in Vancouver and Toronto. Graduating from the University of Manitoba, he delved into radio and stage production for the RCAF. Relocating to Toronto in 1949, Kligman excelled in musical comedy and TV, mastering diverse roles, from villains to distinctive characters. His fluency in dialects and multiple languages, coupled with his Jewish heritage, enriched his performances. Beyond comedy, he contributed to dramatic productions like "Socrates" at the Jupiter Theater and Wayne and Shuster's shows. He embraced the uniqueness of radio and TV, finding joy in a wide range of roles, including Mayor McTaggart in "Jake and The Kid." Off-stage, he indulged in gardening and Jewish folklore, aspiring to explore copper artwork. Despite his varied talents, he emphasized the commitment demanded in acting, reflecting on the differences between TV and radio performances. Kligman's mastery of dialects and character roles, alongside his distinctive Canadian voice, set him apart in both documentary and dramatic settings, leaving an enduring legacy in Canadian entertainment.
TV Credits
Tales of the Wizard of Oz
Character: Lion (voice)
Tales of the Wizard of Oz, created in 1961, was an animated television series crafted by Crawley Films for Videocraft, (later known as Rankin/Bass Productions.) This was the studio's second venture into animation and Rankin/Bass's inaugural foray into traditional animation. Characters from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are given additional names, including Dandy the Cowardly Lion, Rusty the Tin Man, and Socrates the Strawman, expanding upon the original with these fresh m...
Spider-Man
Character: J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
The bite of a radioactive spider transforms a teen into a superhero....
Folio
Character:
Folio, a precursor to CBC's renowned fine-arts series Festival, aired for four years starting in 1956. The series showcased original dramas, music compositions, and ballets, many originating from diverse regions across Canada. Notable episodes featured Barry Morse in a new staging of MacBeth, along with performances by Canadian talents like Robert Goulet and Sharon Acker. One of the highlights included a musical adaptation of the beloved Canadian classic, Anne of Green Gables. Airing without spo...
Movie Credits
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Character: Donner / Clarice's Father / Comet the Coach (voice)
Sam the snowman tells us the story of a young red-nosed reindeer who, after being ousted from the reindeer games because of his glowing nose, teams up with Hermey, an elf who wants to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, the prospector. They run into the Abominable Snowman and find a whole island of misfit toys. Rudolph vows to see if he can get Santa to help the toys, and he goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. But Santa's sleigh is fogged in. But when Santa looks over Rudolph, he gets a...
The Making of a President
Character:
In wartime Sault Ste. Marie, the mayor invites the president of the Jewish congregation to speak at the town’s upcoming ecumenical war bonds rally. However, the president has just quit and nobody wants the thankless job. A funny and endearing drama featuring Melvyn Douglas, Nehemiah Persoff, Paul Soles and a 15-year-old Mike Myers. Based on a semi-autobiographical short story by Order of Canada winner Morley Torgov. Collie-haired Myers, in one of his first TV roles, is more behaved than usual a...
Willy McBean and His Magic Machine
Character: Christopher Columbus / Sitting Bull (voice)
Little Willy McBean joins up with a Mexican monkey named Pablo to travel back in time and stop the evil Prof. von Rotten from changing history....